Insecurity: JOSTUM to train 400 security personnel, deploy drones to tackle attacks, kidnapping – Prof Itodo
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Vice Chancellor, Joseph Tarka University of Agriculture, Makurdi formerly known as Federal University of Agriculture, Prof. Isaac Itodo has said that the institution has concluded plans to train about 400 security personnel to tackles cases of insecurity in and around the university community.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed this on Monday during an interaction with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Benue state Council in his office in Makurdi.
Professor Itodo who expressed worry over cases of attacks and kidnapping of residents, some who are his students, said the university has decided to up its game to nip the menace in the bud.
The VC who said they have had security issues in the past said, “About a fortnight ago, I started hearing gunshots and it was definite even from my own location. I quickly asked the security guys around me to check and they said our female hostel was under attack.”
He expressed happiness that nobody was harmed but regretting that handsets were collected from the students and the portress which led to a lot of pandemonium
He said since the incident “We have a Joint Army, Police/DSS patrol on campus a daily basis both day and night.”
He also recalled that a week after, some armed men blocked the road at SRS junction in Makurdi attacked and kidnapped four persons in a bus conveying passengers including a 100 level Biology Education students of the university.
He also noted the attack on Antsah village, a community close to the school, on June 2, 2024, where some residents were macheted leading to a lot of chaos.
“So what this tells us is that we have to up our game. Already, we have a police post by the gate. We have renovated the place, equipped it with all that the police would need so we have a standing squad of some police men at the post.
“We needed brand new motorcycles and we bought five motorbikes, one new Hilux vehicle to facilitate patrol and quick response on time.
“We are also kitting our security men because I don’t think they are anything what a security man should be. They have very poor training and poor organization. So the DSS will have them trained. We want to train and kit about 400 of them,” he said.
The VC said after the training, the university will deploy e-security by making use of drones for day and night surveillance, walkie talkies among other communication gadgets to enable them detect and report dangers on time, “We are not sleeping at all. It’s really tough but we are doing all we can to put measures in place so that we don become and easy target”, the VC said.
